Toilet repairs rip off?

[annie13]

Hi - my tenant is a plumber. He has two toilets and has reported four faults in one year. I was so busy I accepted his quotes but have just retired and have time to look at what he's charged me. They are, excuse the pun, bog standard Ideal Standard toilets installed by the house builder about ten years ago. He deducted the following from his rent for the work:
Supply & fit 90 degree pan connecter. £20 parts & £45 labour
Remove cistern & syphon & supply new syphon £30 parts & £45 labour
Supply & replace toilet filler, fit new toilet flexi £83.50 for parts & labour
Supply & fit new syphon £80 for parts & labour.

He also told me the washbasin needed new taps. I supplied them but he charged £36 for a new flexi whatever that is, £14.75 for a pop up waste, £5.35 for a "new compression straight on waste", I don't know what this is either, and £65 labour.

Could someone tell me if I've been taken advantage of. I have three other properties and have never had to have toilets repaired so often. As he lives in the property he has no travel costs other than to go half a mile down the road to the supplier.

 

[jase158]

Right prices but he is taking you for a ride, 2 x syphon's in ones year?? you need to check that there is a problem before you accept the quotes, very unusual that the pan connector will go, then the syphon, then the float valve, then the syphon again all in 1 year!! My guess is that they were on there way out, he tried his luck and got lucky!! brand new parts, all function a lot better and he got paid for the privilege. I am a plumber in a rented place and if I want to change things I just do it as I know the landlord will say no or take forever to get it replaced!!

 

[village idiot]

Agree. The labour aspect of it as well as ''some'' of the materials are ok. Trouble is, he may have found a means of reducing his rents indirectly by doing jobs for you? I would have charged more for the labour aspect.

If I have to change a dump (flush) valve, I change the fill valve as well, just so I don't get a call in 4months that fill valve needs replacing. Charge an extra £20 for the extra valve replaced, but at least both valves are now new. If I have to change the fill valve, then I just stick to that.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

I agree with the above, I live in rented accomadation and have completed repairs to the property but only when they absolutely need doing, it does sound like he likes to keep busy at your expense, next time maybe get a quote from a recommended plumber to see if the works need to be carried out.

 

[lame plumber]

pricing is ok imho but at least its all done for another 10 years

 

[johnnyplumb]

he's taking the pyish. I think you need to be a bit stronger with this guy, tell him your getting your own plumber to do any work in the future. when's his lease up ? i'd be looking to get him out of there asap

 

[REDSAW]

dont forget, there is 2 toilets and yes, these things can go easily!.
my price would be simular, but with no travel so cheaper?

look on the bright side, you have them covered under supply and fit for a few years.lol

 

[annie13]

Thanks for all your replies. I'm retired now and have the time to be more aware. You probably won't be surprised to know he is in arrears by one month. I don't know much about the parts but by googling them I'm thinking he's described the same part differently on the different invoices to cover his tracks ie a flexi is the same thing as a pan connector. Maybe I'm wrong? Also they look to be £5 in Wickes just around the corner from him and he's charged me £20.

 

[basildog]

Parts do vary in price massively for example you can buy a cheap fill valve for about £2 or buy a decent one that could be the best part of £20 !
My advice is always use a tradesman you have built up a working relationship with and you trust ?
When I ran my building firm Most of my regular clients hardly ever asked for a price on small jobs and normally asked for the tradesman they wanted by name .

 

[annie13]

Thanks for that. Is a syphon at £30 a good quality one? Seems odd, as a previous poster has said that two have gone in the space of 12 months.